After review

Corona vaccination requirement for German soldiers drops

(Bild: stock.adobe.com/Kozioł Kamila)

Members of the German armed forces will no longer have to show proof of coronavirus vaccination in future. A spokesperson for the Ministry of Defense announced on Wednesday that a technical review had resulted in a move away from the obligation to tolerate vaccination towards a voluntary vaccination offer.

Soldiers must be vaccinated against a whole range of diseases if there are no special health reasons against it. These include hepatitis, measles, rubella, mumps and influenza. On November 24, 2021, the Ministry of Defense included a Covid-19 vaccination as mandatory in the general regulations for the central service regulation "Vaccination and other prophylactic measures".

Since then, there has been an obligation to tolerate this vaccination. Anyone who opposes the vaccination schedule without medical or legal justification must expect disciplinary measures or consequences under employment law.

Federal Administrative Court deals with vaccination obligation
This Wednesday, the Federal Administrative Court in Leipzig will also be hearing a case on the coronavirus vaccination requirement for the German Armed Forces. The applicant, a soldier, had already objected to the inclusion of the Covid-19 vaccination in the Bundeswehr's basic vaccination schedule and considers its retention under the current conditions to be unlawful.

Almost two years ago, the court ruled in principle that the inclusion of the Covid-19 vaccination was lawful. At the same time, it called on the Ministry of Defense to evaluate and monitor the continuation of the vaccination in light of changing circumstances.